Reviews

A great sci-fi adventure set in a new fantastic movie Universe. In terms of visuals and World building this is unlike anything you've ever seen before. To be able to catch it all you will have to see the movie several times, I've seen it twice in the last three days, and I will go back for more, because the visual complexity is a gold mine that keeps on giving. There are supposed to be several Easter eggs buried in the visuals so far I've only detected two.

The story line is moving, and it has enough complexity to keep you fascinated until the end. But this is not Shakespeare, some critics seem to believe it is. It is as complex a story line as any other major sci-fi movie like Star Wars or Star Trek. The acting performances are also on par with all the other major sci-fi movies. Star Wars does not usually win Oscars for the acting. ;)

My main concern when it came to casting, being a huge fan of the comic book series this movie is based on, was Dane DeHaan. He does not look or feel like the right person to play Valerian. My choice has always been Jake Gyllenhaal. But watching the movie, Dane is perfectly OK as Valerian. But the real star i Cara Delevingne, she IS Laureline, albeit without the red hair.

I also loved the three information sellers called the Shinghouz in the comic, and for some inexplicable reason called the Doghan Daguis in Besson's movie?

The readers of the comic will recognize scenes in the movie directly taken from the comic, which is very nice.

I have two very minor beefs with the movie: first the repeated, somewhat forced marriage proposals, that I would completely cut out of the movie if I could. Second, as a comic book series fan, I do not understand why Luc Besson have changed practically every name, except the the leads, from the comic in the movie??? So unnecessary IMO. But these are minor points..

On the whole this is the greatest sci-fi movie I've seen in years. It is a great action adventure ride with lots of humor and stunning visuals. I took it upon myself to ask some of my fellow movie-goers (not my friends i.e.) what they thought of it after we'd all seen it. Everybody loved it, from young kids to adults to old people, it was the same the second time I saw it. People came out with a happy smile on their faces...me too.

PLOT SUMMARY: Mehmet lives in a suburb of Stockholm called Kastby, he's persecuted and pursued (romantically) by the evil Tarek who together with his gang is terrorizing the entire community. Mehmet doesn't like the situation but daren't resist his persecutor. Suddenly a legendary but almost forgotten Kung-Fu master, Willy Fastfoot, re-emerges. He begins teaching Mehmet his famous style called 'Disco Kung-Fu'.

COMMENT: The movie is really funny and very stylized. It contains elements of Sergio Leone's western's as well as Hong Kong kung fu movies. All set in a imagined bleak Swedish suburb of today, it's a heavy brew of said elements but also comments on racism, and the non activist state of Swedish society. The antagonist relationship between suburbians (immigrants) and central city dwellers (Swedes) are also displayed. The central plot is straightforward and are more geared towards emotional imagery than dialogue, although the Willy Fastfoot character (played by Swedish actor-veteran Kjell Bergqvist) gets almost too much dialogue. The one criticism I have against this movie, is that it slows to almost a coma when Bergqvist's character talks about the old days. Disco music and imagery just enhances the ironic and lighthearted fun of this movie. And the gayness of Mehmet's nemesis Tarek, is dealt with as a non-issue and not used to enforce his evil, but it may be perceived like that by some. Tarek is in some ways the most interesting character, and the movie does explain the motivation behind his actions. The acting is somewhat squared but I guess that's what comes with the style of the movie. Overall it's great fun with great music and a couple of surprises, and for those who like that, a lot of kung-fu.